What DIY have you done today?

[Jimmyneutronsforehead]

A thread to share the things big and small that you've started, finished, planned or conceptualised.

Inspired by the lovely posters on the What have you done in the garden today threads.

She got someone in to do it. It's a roman villa garden design. It looks fantastic.

Lovely plate rack @Agapornis. We found ours on Marketplace for £20 which I thought was a bargain, but yours was even more so!

We DIY our gardens - we spent 10k+ on the last one which was mostly plants, materials for pathways and new oak sleepers for raised beds etc, but it was 0.5 acre 😉

It's tempting to get out into the sunshine today as there's lots to do in our 'new' back garden, but I've a couple of sewing projects (tablecloth and upholstery of dining chairs) to finish.

Apart from fitting a shelf in a kitchen cupboard yesterday my DIY has stalled. Need to crack on with stripping the remaining hall wallpaper soon as I'm itching to get the walls painted and my 'mural' started.

Today I've disassembled the hideous, rotten children's climbing frame. It was a family effort. Done my back in after doing some gardening, told the dog off for digging holes, planning a trip to the dump with all this wood.

Ah that sounds amazing. In my dreams I have a Roman mosaic patio. Not a DIY project I'm rushing to achieve any time soon 😅

I really want to do my own mosaic backsplash for the kitchen but we have a perfectly good stainless steel one which is much more practical and easy to clean.

One day though, mark my words...

I wanted to extend my patio during lockdown, had already made a compost bin which is still standing. Anyway on digging up the turf, there was already a patio underneath, lovely tiles. However my late mum took a turn for the worse, she recovered, so I relayed the turf.

That patio is still there!

Painted a picture frame over the last few days and hung it today. I might have a new hobby - painting wooden charity shop frame folk art style... Perhaps I've spent too much time on whimsy diy insta.

Typo, *frames in folk art style (floral borders etc)

Well didn’t seem like much but another coat of paint on the shed and we have a lock and windows in - we had to hacksaw a bit to get the windows to fit. Ordered a blind for the window. And rehung the door other side of lock and more painting tomorrow - as I need to masking tape up the windows. Beautiful day today at the allotment, 4 hours flew by and for most of it our lovely robin was on the roof enjoying his new perch!

That extra coat has made a tonne of difference to it. It looks fabulous.

I'm trying to find space for a shed in our garden but I want to put a little cottage style half curtain in it, and have space for a chair in it so I can retreat into it to watch some seedlings and have a cup of tea.

I do have a base down already for a shed but it isn't anywhere with near enough sunlight.

Thanks. It’s had 2-3 coats and 1 more to go and need to trim around the door but have a heavy duty lock to go on. We were recommended to get a blind so we have. Someone from the allotment committee came over and were very complimentary so I felt really pleased like a child with a good report from school. 😂 What about a Velux window for your shed to get more light?

He has not. He did put a curtain rail up for me today, and I left the lights on the windowsill, as a hint. I’m going to have to figure it out and do it myself.

I'd quite like a 2 up 2 down shed made of brick with some skylights, an upstairs and downstairs bathroom and separate room for utilities. 😆

I think you're going to have to threaten rather than hint. Electrocution of self clearly wasn't enough. How about nipple clamps and a battery? For him obvs.

@AgapornisI’m actually pretty frustrated with it. There are loads of jobs that he’s offered to help with, and I think he genuinely wants to, but he’s busy and tired, and I refuse to nag. So I’ll do my research, and do it myself. I just have zero confidence.

The more you learn and do, the more confident you'll feel @TeamToeBeans

I tried to put the Dyson dock thing on the wall, thought it would be a good beginner project to start with, but managed to cock it up and had to ask him to sort it out, so it did set me back a bit.

I’ve had a look at the lights and have been watching some videos. Might try it tomorrow if I feel brave.

I tell myself often, it's only a wall. Holes can be filled. It can be repainted. Mistakes are part of the journey.

You've got this.

Thanks @Jimmyneutronsforehead, that does help.

After psyching myself up last night and this morning, I went to turn the power off. The fuse box is so high up that I can’t reach it. I don’t yet own any ladders. Pondering going to get some, but was hoping to avoid spending more money, and I’m not sure if I can get there and back in time as I have an appointment. Trying to think if there’s anywhere I can get some locally, or anyone I could borrow from.

We have progress - one wall lamp is back on the wall! (Because I could only find three screws, they need two each.) With a combination of a small step, my phone camera zoom, and a long stick, I managed to identify and turn off the correct fuse. Then I had to nip out and buy wire strippers. When I got home I courageously did the job, and then went out to my appointment. I’ll do the other light tomorrow, when I’ve found or purchased more screws.

More work in the garden and two black bags in the bin, (the bags were not fit for recycling).

Booked recycling for the weekend and it's so much less stressful. Love a clearance.

Have relented and booked for a new radiator and front door. There's not a chance in hell, even if I kept on going, that I would do either.

No DIY today but on the school run my lovely curtain twitching neighbour pointed out our gates aren't up to par with the recent renovations of the street.

What's really happened is he's spotted a bit of rust. I shall be patching it up forthwith.

That'll be this time next year then 😂

Well done @TeamToeBeans! 🏆

Integrated microwave gave up after 10 years, new one replaced this morning (thankfully very easy to install). Tried to book a free collection of the old one with the council, but they've outsourced electrical item pick up and have no available slots for the next year 🤡😡 and the contractor told me to contact the council itself. Might try selling it for spares at this rate.

He's a harmless chap, but sometimes he does things like taking matters into his own hands, but badly.

If I don't do it, he'll do it for me, badly.

A few years ago he noticed our gate had a squeak, so he greased it up for us.

When he told us our faces drained and he asked what was wrong and we said oh nothing thank you.

But just like you might hear a squeaky step on the stairs and be able to tell who is walking down the stairs, we could tell who was coming through the gate and at the time we didn't realise how useful that was.

It's such a non-issue and he really thought he was doing us a favour but we all secretly can't wait for the squeak to come back.

I'd understand if it was bothering him, but all of my neighbours around here are pretty hard of hearing. They couldn't even hear when our car got smashed into by a joyrider right outside their windows.